PB2358: SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN NEWLY DIAGNOSED HEMATOLOGICAL MALIGNANCIES FOLLOWING LOCKDOWN EASE IN CROATIA
Authors: M. Simunic, A. Dobricic, M. Vujcic, A. Pijuk, S. Madunic, J. Jakelic-Pitesa, D. Lozic
Journal: HemaSphere (2022)

Background: Special epidemiological measures aimed at suppressing SARS-CoV-2 outbreak were introduced in Croatia in March 2020, thus reducing regular work capacity in hematological outpatient and inpatient care. In our hospital, this included relocating the entire Hematology Department to a remote location, reduction of hospital beds in the Hematology Inpatient Unit by approximately 60%, Day Clinic operating at a reduced capacity, and a complete suspension of Hematology Polyclinic during first lockdown. Aims: Herein we report our observation of unusually high incidence of newly diagnosed malignant hematological diseases following first lockdown ease in May/June 2020. Methods: We collected data of patients hospitalized in Hematology Department for 4 periods: May 1 - June 15, 2020 for the test arm, and the same calendar period during previous 3 years (May 1 - June 15 of each of the calendar years 2017, 2018 and 2019), for the control arm. The rationale for such design was that a phenomenon of re-establishing regular work capacity, following temporary restriction, was only observed in the test arm. The study included patients of both sexes older than 18 who were diagnosed with either: Hodgkin lymphoma (C81.0 -C81.9 according to the 10th ICD Revision), different types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (subsections C82.0 - C83.9 and C85.1-C85), as well as multiple myeloma and malignant plasma cell neoplasms (C90.0 - C90.3). Excluded from our study were diagnoses of T/NK cell lymphoma (C84.0- C84.9; C86.0 - C86.6), malignant immunoproliferative diseases (C88.0 - C88.9), leukemias and other specified malignant neoplasms of lymphatic, hematopoietic and related tissues (C91.0 - C96.9) as well as polycythemia vera and non-malignant hematological diseases (D45 and D50 - D89 in ICD-10). Results: In years 2017-2019, similar numbers of patients were diagnosed with a hematological malignancy in our Department (n=4 for 2017, n=8 for 2018, n=4 for 2019) whereas in 2020, a total of 28 patients were diagnosed during the same calendar period (Hodgkin lymphoma: n=5, NHL n=12, multiple myeloma n=7, CLL/SLL n=4). Statistical analysis revealed a significant increase (p <0.05) of newly diagnosed hematological malignancies in May and first half of June 2020, when compared to the same calendar periods during previous three years. Further statistical analysis has not established significant differences in outcome (difference in EFS statistically insignificant, p=0.86), as we had expected in the short follow-up period. Image:Summary/Conclusion: Facilitating treatment of patients affected by the novel coronavirus represented a welcome change in healthcare system in early 2020, in our country and abroad. At the same time, however, the reduction of tertiary health care capacity aimed at population with hematological diseases presented serious risks for successful diagnosis and treatment outcome, a subject that gained wide attention in literature. It has been reported that, also due to psychological reasons, a fraction of patients delayed seeking medical attention after noticing symptoms. In our study we aimed at analyzing the effects of lockdown ease on the number of newly diagnosed hematological malignancies. We were able to demonstrate the effect of pandemic-related measures on detecting new disease cases. It remains to be clarified if a sudden surge in new diagnoses was due to delayed first physician’s appointments/hospitalizations, as is suggested by available literature. The results of our study suggest that longer follow-up period will be required in order to clarify the effects of possible late diagnoses on the treatment outcome.